Skincare trends: Are they causing harm to young people?
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Hello, it's Hannah Gelbart here. Welcome back to What in the World from the BBC World Service. Today we're talking all about skincare and anti-aging products. Because the stuff that you use to wash your face didn't used to be much of a conversation starter. But nowadays, social media is flooded with all of these videos. There are 10-step skincare routines, get ready with me's and these tutorials showing you how to get that.

perfect youthful glass skin and children as young as eight have been hopping on the trend they're using the same luxury products as their favorite celebs and influencers but could these products be doing more harm than good today you're going to find out what's in the stuff that you put on your skin and we're going to talk about whether anti-aging products should be age restricted so

Back on the What In The World podcast here in the studio with me is BBC health reporter Annabelle Rackham. Hi. Hi, thanks for having me. So Annabelle, how much do you actually care about your own skincare? I have to say my knowledge has improved quite a lot in maybe the last year or two.

I just used to be a makeup wipe, you know, across the face, throw it in the bin kind of gal. And now I've got a three-step skincare regime. Some people have eight. That's way too much for me. Just, like, cleansing my face in the morning is a big enough task. So I am getting better, but I can't say I'm, like...

TikTok influencer level. Please tell me you are because I feel like that would make me happy. No, definitely not TikTok influencer level. I definitely started to take like a bit more interest in my skincare. So yeah, I'll cleanse, I'll exfoliate, I will moisturise and I'll put SPF on in the morning. That's the most important thing. And at night, I'll take all my makeup off and then I'll put some of the stuff like the anti-aging stuff that we're talking about today. And

Why is skincare becoming such a big trend online? You've been looking into this. What kind of videos have you seen, specifically the stuff that is directed more towards younger people, children?

I think it's all about trends. And we've seen in the last year or two this idea of like a clean girl aesthetic. Everyone wants to look more natural, more relaxed, you know, more glowing. People are staying at home more, that sort of thing. And I think, you know, the way the vloggers are, it's all paid into this idea that skincare now is the big thing over a massive makeup routine. And that really, you know, well-kept...

you know, well-kept, well-together look, which I think, you know, it all fits in with that trend. So it's like, look like you get eight hours sleep even if you don't get eight hours sleep. Exactly. And it's healthy eating, you know, not drinking. The healthy skin goes hand in hand with that. And what kind of videos are out there to try and get young people to buy these products? So I don't think it's specifically...

about the videos because I think that the videos are not designed for these children. They are designed for people our age, you know, in their 20s and 30s who want to learn about skincare. And children shouldn't even be on these platforms. Yeah, exactly. And it's because it's a video about skincare. They're not age-restricted. So other videos...

might not even come up on their algorithms. But these do because there's nothing really inherently bad about, you know, a girl taking her makeup off or, you know, doing a cleanser or a face mask, something like that. There's nothing wrong with it. So it's probably that content for older people is falling into the hands of younger children more

And then they're using these people as their role models. Like some of the kids that I've spoken to, they just see these influencers as the way that we might see celebrities. So they just want to imitate what they're doing. This kind of reminds me of when I was little, like I used to play with my mum's makeup. Yeah. I think...

as long as we have, you know, children have always tried to imitate adult staff. We've always tried to like be older, look older, be more grown up, try out our mum's products. So there's like nothing new about kids wanting to use their parents' products. But I think what's really interesting about this is that it's anti-aging products and that kind of ties into this whole thing about being perfect, that perfect image on social media and

how is that changing the way that people look, the use of filters, the way that we upload everything about our life? And what kind of effect is that having on people? I think that that idea of perfection has always been out there. Years and years ago, it was Hollywood stars that we'd see on screen that we'd think is perfect. And then it's filtered down to maybe your everyday celebrity, your reality star. And now it's influencers. So we've always been...

that marketing, that advertising has always been pushed to us throughout the generations. But now it's so easily accessible and that's what leads to perfection. And so children just want to imitate that. And that's the difficult thing, really. It's hard to try and differentiate between what is real life and what's achievable and what is this, you know, beauty ideal standard that is hard for, you know, 99% of us to really achieve.

And here is Blanca Catherine. She is a beauty content creator from South Africa. And we asked her how social media is playing a part in young people's interest in skincare. I do think that TikTok is encouraging younger people to use anti-aging products.

I think that even though creators might not be directing their content at younger viewers, there are a lot of them on the app that are just being fed all of this information. I do also think that the aesthetic of a beauty routine and skincare is very trendy at the moment. And a lot of young people want to be trendy. So I think as a creator and for brands as well, it's really important to just engage with your audience, especially if you have younger viewers.

And this is Tilly. She is 11 and she lives here in the UK. We see it all over like TikTok and Instagram and all that stuff. Do you see them using all these like cool looking products? So it makes you want to like buy them because they look so like cool. So Annabelle, what kind of data do we actually have about how much under 18s are using these products?

So we don't have much. And that's, you know, that's the difficult thing with under 18s. We don't really pry that much into their daily habits. But we do know from the US last year that Gen Alpha, so that's even younger than Gen Z, that's those born after 2010. They were behind a growth of 49% in skincare last year. So that is a huge leap.

And then there's a little bit of data about the UK, which shows that there was a 21% jump in young people using anti-aging moisturizers specifically in the last two years. That is huge, isn't it? What's the problem with this? What are some of the concerns with children, people with young skin using anti-aging products?

I mean, they don't need to anti-age, do they? Their children should be, you know, should be people much older using it. But that, you know, that is the main concern. Your skin barrier, which, you know, just protects your skin, that does not develop enough.

until you're an adult. So you could be damaging, basically, the surface of your skin from a really young age. You know, you could grow up with really sensitive skin, which is going to need further treatment when you're older. And you've also just got, you know, a lot of young people do suffer with skin concerns like eczema.

it can really aggravate something like that. So there are difficulties, you know, some children may use it and they may, you know, they may only use a tiny bit of product and that might not do anything. But, you know, there's no real truth to, you know, what the long term effects of using these products could be because children just haven't done it in the past.

But, you know, some children might just see a very basic level, a bit of skin irritation, a bit of itchiness. But, you know, you can get real, you know, long-lasting effects on your skin if you use these products for a long time. And what's actually in these products? What is the stuff that could cause harm to children's skin?

So I think two of the main ingredients you need to think about are retinols and exfoliating acids. You know, these are some of the common things that as adults, you know, we're told are pretty good for your skin. But as a child, that is something that you 100% we know should not be using at all, because as I've previously mentioned,

they attack the skin barrier. And we have been speaking to a pediatric dermatologist, Dr. Carol Cheng at the University of California in the US. We asked her a bit more about these ingredients and what they do. So as a pediatric dermatologist, I often get asked about the active ingredients in anti-aging skincare, especially because many younger patients are starting to pay attention to their skin's health early on. Some of these most common active ingredients you'll see are retinols or vitamin A,

vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, and most importantly, sunscreen. These are really the building blocks of most anti-aging routines, and each has its own specific role. Retinols are known for boosting skin cell turnover, vitamin C brightens and protects,

Hyaluronic acid hydrates the skin and sunscreen is essential for protecting against the harmful effects of UV radiation. Retinol and retinoids are vitamin A derivatives and speeds up the turnover of skin cells, helping to smooth out wrinkles and improve skin texture over time. It also stimulates collagen production, which is key in keeping the skin firm and youthful.

Vitamin C works as a powerful antioxidant, protecting the skin from free radicals caused by sun exposure. It also helps promote collagen production and fades dark spots, which gives your skin a brighter, more even tone. Hyaluronic acid is great for hydration by pulling moisture into the skin, making it look plump and youthful.

And finally, sunscreen is the ultimate protector. You want to look for a broad-spectrum sunscreen that protects your skin from UVA and UVB damage, which causes premature aging like wrinkles and sunspots, and more seriously, skin cancers including melanoma, basal cell, and suey muscle carcinomas.

So by preventing damage before it happens, sunscreen really helps fight aging long term. So even though these ingredients are often associated with use in more mature individuals, they can be beneficial for younger patients if used appropriately. For example, many teenagers and patients in their 20s who have acne may already be using topical retinoids, which is one of the most effective treatments for treating acne and clogged pores. At the same time, it is also effective for anti-aging.

Vitamin C is great for skin brightening and can also reduce the appearance of dark spots on the skin. But this is a product that I don't feel is necessary until a patient is in their 20s at the earliest. Looking at the long-term effects, the key benefit of using these ingredients in your early 20s is prevention.

However, there are negative effects to some of these products, which usually stem from overuse, improper formulation, or in individuals with sensitive skin. For example, ingredients like retinols can cause irritation, dryness, burning, and redness, but with proper use and precautions, like starting slow and wearing sunscreen, these effects can be manageable.

If there's any concerns or questions about a good anti-aging regimen, please see your dermatologist or pediatric dermatologist who can provide an individualized plan suited for your skin.

As Carol said, some young people do use topical retinoids and retinol, but they're often prescribed by a doctor for specific skin conditions and the strength is catered to whatever they need. The products you can pick up in shops usually have a range of strengths and different ingredients. So if you use these ingredients incorrectly or unknowingly, that's what can cause harm to younger skin. ♪

So Annabelle, given that these products could be potentially harmful to children's skin, what do you think needs to change to protect children's mental health but also their physical health? It's their skin. So I think it has to start with parents really and there's just so much pressure on them. I don't think they're necessarily to blame necessarily.

It's all about education. So a lot of parents might be buying these products for their children, not knowing what is actually in them. They just see maybe the bright packaging and think it's appropriate. And oftentimes they're really, really expensive. So again, it would save parents a lot of money, but it's all about, you know, education for them. And they can then pass that on to their children and know, you know, what is safe and what isn't.

But I think ultimately it does come down to the people that sell these products. So I think it is up to these huge, you know, national, multinational stores to put in restrictions, whether that's ID, like with cigarettes or buying alcohol, you know.

that's maybe one way to do it. Or again, the brands themselves making sure on the packaging that it's really transparent that these products are not designed for children. We did see last year that the biggest pharmacy brand in Sweden banned the sale of any anti-aging products to children, which is a really big step.

And also the EU is bringing in a rule soon about retinols. So the high strength retinols will not be available for general sale over the counter anymore. You'll have to get those prescribed from a doctor, which again is a really big step. Going back to that whole conversation about social media, flawless skin, the pressure, there is just so much pressure to be perfect. Are we setting unrealistic expectations of what people actually look like of like being flawless? I think so. And again,

And, you know, I think a lot of the time the images that we're shown even of celebrities are really airbrushed. I just think back to being younger and flicking through magazines and looking at ad campaigns. And again, those images would all be photoshopped, all be airbrushed to perfection. I feel like in the age of social media, we've all been given really unrealistic standards of beauty. And I think it's up to us as like the older generation that are, you know, maybe not

providing the examples and being role models to young people to show them that you don't have to look perfect in order to be liked or in order to live a happy life. And I think at the moment that just isn't there, which makes me really sad. Yeah, yeah. Annabelle, just for the record, I think you've got perfect skin. Thank you. I would not say that right now. Thank you. I'll take it. Thank you very much. Thank you so much for joining us on the podcast. And thank you for joining us, whether you're watching or listening. This is What In The World from the BBC World Service.

And we'll be back with another episode soon. See you then. Bye. With the American Express Gold Card, I can earn four times membership rewards points at U.S. supermarkets. So I'll grab some chili oil. Points. Tend fish. Packed with points. Bucatini. That's a lot of points. Heirloom tomatoes. Perfectly ripe and packed with points. Get more than just your groceries with the American Express Gold Card. Learn more at americanexpress.com slash U.S. slash explore dash gold. Terms and points cap apply.

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